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Action-Reaction! Rocket
Students construct a rocket from a balloon propelled along a guide string. They use this model to learn about Newton's three laws of motion, examining the effect of different forces on the motion of the rocket. They measure the distance...
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Animals and Humans
Students identify the functions of various body parts. They participate in the "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes" song, draw a picture of themselves and other mammals, and create a traced outline of their body that they add features to....
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Satellites
Eighth graders explore the history of space travel and satellites. Through a teacher demonstration, 8th graders observe how a satellite revolves another object. They identify natural and artificial satellites, explore how satellites...
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How Far Away is SOHO?
Students create a scale model of the Earth and the sun that demonstrates where the SOHO satellite is in relation to the Earth.
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Is it Really Winter in Australia? It is June!
The purpose of this activity is to determine how the location of a place on the Earth (hemisphere) determines what season that place is experiencing relative to the Sun's rays. Day one the students will be introduced to the terms...
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Climate in the Western Regions
Students examine the interactions of the Earth's systems and other objects in space. In this climate change lesson students study the pros and cons of different climates and what their preferences are.
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Measuring the Diameter of Our Star
Learners conduct an experiment to measure the diameter of the sun. In this astronomy lesson, students construct a simple equipment to collect scientific data. They calculate the sun's diameter using a given formula.
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Charting The Progress of New Horizons
Students explore the long distances and timescales involved in space travel. They track the progress of the New Horizons spacecraft and access the New Horizons website to discover the distance of the spacecraft from the Sun, and then...
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It's Hot
Third graders examine the effect of sunlight on the earth. Individually, they pick an article of clothing out of a bag and sort themselves based on the color of the shirt and whether it should be worn on a cold or a hot day. To end the...
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Just How Big is this Place?
Learners are introduced to the the formula for calculating travel time. They listen to different scenarios relating to long distance travel into space and calculate travel time using the formula.
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Geometry of Radio Meteor Reflections
Ninth graders investigate and describe ways that human understanding of Earth and space has depended on technological development. They describe and interpret the science of optical and radio telescopes, space probes and remote sensing...
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Painting the Hallway with Pixels
Students create science design to be painted on the wall in the hallway of the science area of the school building. They measure space available, make a scale model of the design, and paint different pixels.
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Tropical Atlantic Aerosols
Students analyze NASA data from the Multi-angle Imaging Spectroradiometer. In this NASA data lesson, students access an assigned website to examine information from the MISR on the Terra Satellite. They determine how desert dust travels...
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What Factors Impact a Greenhouse?
Students analyze the Greenhouse Effect and the science of greenhouses. In this global climate lesson, students read background information about the 'greenhouse effect' and define 'albedo.' Students examine pictures of clouds, read about...
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Making Clouds: Aerosol-Cloud Interactions in a Beaker
Students observe a teacher demo on how clouds form. In this earth science lesson, students discover how cloudiness affects relative humidity. They explain the scattering of light by clouds.
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How Far Away Is Saturn?
Students work together to create a scale model of the solar system. They write a descriptive paper and a paper comparing and contrasting the Earth to Saturn. They discuss their writings with the class.
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Strawkets and Control
Students investigate the effect that fins have on rocket flight. They construct two paper rockets that they can launch by blowing through a straw, one with fins and one with wings, and observe and record the results of the rocket flights.
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Organisms and Their Environment
Learners explore Earth's biosphere. In this biosphere lesson plan, students participate in group activities regarding biotic and abiotic factors, population density, and species' habitats.
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Exploring Pendulums
Learners observe the movement of pendulums, they begin to understand the relationship between gravitational forces and the mass of objects, the changes in speed and direction of objects, and the distance between objects. They understand...
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Detecting Meteors by Radio in the Classroom
Twelfth graders describe and interpret the science of optical and radio telescopes, space probes and remote sensing technologies (Unit E) They explain the role of radio and optical telescopes in determining characteristics of stars and...
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Look at those Leaves!
Learners observe and measure tree leaves. In this leaf lesson students do on a "leaf walk" then use the leaves they find to complete a few activities.
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Charting Seasonal Changes
Students research the Earth's patterns of rotation and revolution, create a chart and graph of these patterns and use them to explain the causes of night and day and summer and winter.
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Global Climate Change
Second graders investigate the effect of melting glaciers to sea level. In this earth science lesson, 2nd graders simulate the process in the lab by conducting an experiment using ice cubes and clay. They explain the consequences of...
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Are we alone? Do aliens exist?
Learners discuss the existence of aliens in the universe. In this alien instructional activity, students discuss the answers to the questions: What are the chances that aliens exist in the universe? and What are the chances that aliens...